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[Joe Hicks]

We're installing 3 new projectors- the Christie LHD700. The two outer screens will be 16:9 and the center screen will be 2.35:1. As well, we're using ProPresenter and we'll use it's masking ability for the center screen.

Here's the question: how do we set the video system up to be able to show identical images on the two side screens while having individual control of the center screen but holding on to the ability at any given time to have all three screens show the same image.

Thanks!

[Steve Kennedy-Williams]

We're installing 3 new projectors- the Christie LHD700. The two outer screens will be 16:9 and the center screen will be 2.35:1. As well, we're using ProPresenter and we'll use it's masking ability for the center screen.

Here's the question: how do we set the video system up to be able to show identical images on the two side screens while having individual control of the center screen but holding on to the ability at any given time to have all three screens show the same image.

Thanks!

What you are looking for is a matrix switcher, where you can route each input to one or more outputs.

What content source? HDMI, VGA, Composite, HD-SDI?

[Joe Hicks]

What content source? HDMI, VGA, Composite, HD-SDI?

The source will be HDMI.

[Brad Weber]

The source will be HDMI.

I believe that ProPresenter only supports a single video output.  What they do for multiple screens is use the Matrox DualHead2Go or TripleHead2Go devices.  So for your three screens the computer would basically be outputting one large 5760x1080 image that a Matrix TripleHead2Go would then split equally across three screens.
 
I also believe that the current versions of the TripleHead2Go support DVI-D, DisplayPort or Thunderbolt (and only support 1920x1080 at a 50Hz refresh rate, which the LHD700 does support).  There is no HDMI version, in theory you should be able to use DVI-D to HDMI adapters and that likely would work, although I have found some HDMI input devices that do not work well with anything other than an actual HDMI signal.  And if you might ever be displaying HDCP protected content then only the newer TripleHead2Go Digital SE version is HDCP compliant and it only supports Thunderbolt, Display Port and mini-DisplayPort.
 
Are you using the Multi-Screen module in ProPresenter?  I believe that is where you would decide what is displayed on each screen.
 
ProPresenter supports masking but masking and scaling are different things so apparently what you would be doing for the 2.35:1 center image is inserting masking at the top and/or bottom of the center 1920x1080 third of the image so that you only see only a 1920x817 part of the image.

I definitely suggest talking to Renewed Vision about your application, they are usually very good in answering any questions.  And also check out their support forums, many of your questions may already be addressed there.

[Joe Hicks]

We talked with PrePresenter yesterday and it looks like the triplehead won't work for us due to the fact that our screens will be different ratios thus only needing masking on the center screen. Triplehead won't mask only one screen/output.
So, we've decided to go to a dedicated computer just for the center screen. Not the way I wanted to do it, but seems we're stuck with this method.

[Jonathan Kok]

We talked with PrePresenter yesterday and it looks like the triplehead won't work for us due to the fact that our screens will be different ratios thus only needing masking on the center screen. Triplehead won't mask only one screen/output.
So, we've decided to go to a dedicated computer just for the center screen. Not the way I wanted to do it, but seems we're stuck with this method.

There are, of course, alternatives; a Christie Spider (or similar) could be used to split the incoming video signal to multiple screens, and do all the masking you need.  So, Propresenter, single output set to XXXXx1080 resolution (the XXXX being the combined resolutions of your three screens, and I'm too lazy to do the math), fed to 3x switchers (one for each projector).  In addition, you'd have separate computers fed to each of these switchers as well.  Alternatively, a single matrix switcher would work.

[Brad Weber]

We talked with PrePresenter yesterday and it looks like the triplehead won't work for us due to the fact that our screens will be different ratios thus only needing masking on the center screen. Triplehead won't mask only one screen/output.
So, we've decided to go to a dedicated computer just for the center screen. Not the way I wanted to do it, but seems we're stuck with this method.

Why 2.35:1?  In the US that has not been a standard video or film format since the 1970's and has evolved to 2.39:1 for film and 2.40:1 for Blu-Ray.  But my biggest reason for asking is that if it is for commercial films or videos then it seems more likely that HDCP may be a factor in signal routing and distribution.
 
And that leads into considering whether any matrix switching should address EDID, HDCP and/or scaling.